Automatic closing device.



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No. 772,483, PATENTED 001?. 18, 1904.-

- I. w. WATKINS.

AUTOMATIC CLOSING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 15, 1904. I

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PATENTED 001 18, 1904. J. W. WATKINS.

AUTOMATIC CLOSING DEVICE.

@PFLIGATION FILED FEB. 15, 1904.

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PATENTED 'OGT. 18, 1904.

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J. w. WATKINS. v AUTOMA' IIG CLOSING DEVICE. APPLICATION TILEDPEB.15,.1904.

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No. 772,43 PATENTED 001". 18, 1904.

J. W. WATKINS.

AUTOMATIC CLOSING DEVICE. 4 I

APPLIDATION rum P111115, 1904. V I

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ment of the chain it with the saddle-block is a rocking lever J,preferably pivoted upon the pin d, as best shown in Fig. VII, havingalong one side a flattened groove 7', capable of accommodating the chain72/, which from its point of attachment of the saddle-block passes upand around the rocking arm resting in the groove 1' and then runs acrossthe head of the window-frame and is at its other end similarly attachedto the saddle-block beneath the opposite sash-pulley after passing overa corresponding rocking arm. This arrangement is precisely duplicatedupon the other side of the window, the saddle-blocks beneath thecord-pulleys being similarly united by a chain it. Near the center ofthe head of the Window the two chains 7t and 71. are connected by a pairof metal links 71; 7a, through which the chains pass, the two linksbeing adjusted at a little distance apart. At a point intermediatebetween the links 7:; 7:? the chain it is led through an eyelet Z uponthe end of a screw L, provided with a nut m. a is a collar or sleeve, offusible material, mounted upon the outside of the window-frame,preferably centrally and near its top. Through this fusible collar thescrew L passes and is caused to exert tension upon the chain it byscrewing the nut on down upon the fusible collar 11. A like arrangementis provided upon the other side of the window, where a screw L with aneyelet Z passes through the fusible collar a and exerts tension upon thechain it by screwing the nut m downupon the fusible collar a. It will beobserved that in the system of connections thus described the tighteningof either of the nuts m on. communicates an evenly-distributed tensionto both ends of both chains ii For proper operation the chains areplaced under a sufficient tension by the adjustment of the nuts m m tocause the ends of each of the chainsto exert enough upward pull upon thesaddleblocks under the four pulleys to lift the pulleys (necessarilylifting with them theweights and the sashes) until the axles of thepulleys are raised off their journals, the pulleys resting solely uponthe saddles. The rocking arms J J facilitate this adjustment,transforming the horizontal pull of the chains into the vertical pullrequired to raise the saddleblocks with the load which they carry. Whenthus adjusted, the cord-pulleys can rotate only subject to the veryappreciable degree of friction occasioned by their movement on thesaddles within which they rest. This degree of friction is too great tobe overcome by the overweight or underweight to which the sashes arerespectively subjected, and therefore when a sash is raised or loweredby hand it will stay in place where it is set; but if by reason of anabnormal rise in the temperature in the region of the window-frameeither on the outside or the inside one or other of the fusible collars'12. a is melted the tension upon the chains is immediately relaxed andthe pulleys are permitted to settle down upon their proper bearings. Inthis position they rotate so freely that the overweight or underweightof the sashes is immediately effective to close them.

It will be observed that by my arrangement thefusible collars, upon theefliciency of which the operation of the device depends, are placed in amost advantageous position namely, very near the top of the window-frameand near its center, which is the place most likely to be lirst affectedby heat. It will also be observed that at no time is any frictionexerted upon the window -cords, the saddles creating friction onlybetween themselves and the pulleys.

Referring now to the second variety of my invention, .as shown in Figs.11 l, .lV, and V, it will be noted that the cord-pulleys instead ofbeing four in number are but two and that they are mounted transverselyto the head of the window. In this way a single pulley-cord sufiices foreach end of the window, one cord running from the lower sash over thepulley to a point of attachment upon the upper sash. Beneath each ofthese pulleys is the pivoted saddle-block P, with a saddle p, afulcrum-arm p and an upwardlyprojected free arm 1). To the latter ispivoted a lever-arm s, which in turn is pivoted upon a bracket S, setupon the bottom of the head of the window. The central ends of the twolevers s s are pivotally connected to a cross-arm t, which carries ascrew T with a nut o, the screw passing down through a fusible sleeve orcollar w, projecting downwardly below the bottom of the head of thewindow at or near its center. This collar thus affords the point ofresistance for the nut r when screwed down so as to depress the centralends of levers s 8. By properly adjusting this single nut sufiieienttension is placed upon the levers s s to raise both of the saddle-blocksuntil both of the pulleys are lifted ofl their journals, causing them torest only upon the saddles, with the resulting increase of frictionresisting their rotation to a sufiieient degree to prevent thedifference in weight between the sashes from effecting the closing ofthe window; As soon, however, as the fusible window.

I gle. fusible collar 1/) arranged to controlboth of the saddles, itwill be understood that when desired a separate screw may be used tocon-' trol each of the levers, (which in this case will be disunited.)This latter arrangement is preferable where the window is ofconsiderable breadth.

The roller-bearings m w greatlyfacilitate the rotation of the pulleys solong as the weight of the sash-cordis received upon the pin 61 It willbe observed, however, that. the rollers do not completely fill the spaceat the center of the pulleys within 1 which they rest. Hence it resultsthat when the saddle-block is pressed up beneath the pulley the latteris lifted to the position shown in Fig. VII, where the whole weight ofthe sash-cord is supported by the saddle-block, rotation only beingpossible subject to the friction between the periphery of the pulley andthe saddle-block and the pin d being quite free from pressure andresting loosely within the pulley and its journal.

Although I have described my invention as applied to window-sashes, itis equally applicable to any sliding closure hung from a cord or chainrunning over a'pulley-as, for instance, sliding doors,metaltheater-curtains,

or any sort of closing-panel, which word I employ here and 1n the claimsin its generic sense as includingany sliding piece by which any apertureis closed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim 1. In an automatic closurethe combination to close; a pulley over which the connection of thepanel to the weight runs; a pivoted saddleblock beneath the pulley; afusiblepiece; an adjustable connection, of which the fusible piece formsone point of attachment, whereby tension may be placed upon the pivotedsaddleblock to raise the pulley off its bearings, substantially asdescribed. I

3. In an automatic closure the combination of a panel weighted so as tohave a tendency to close; a. pulley over which runs the connection ofthe panel to the weight; a'saddle-block. beneath the pulley providedwith a saddle fitting the groove of the-pulley, a fulcrum-arm, and afree arm; with means for raising the latter arm until the pulley restsupon the saddle insteadof upon its bearings, said means including afusible-piece by the melting of .which the pulley is suffered to fall toits bearings, substantially 'as described.

4. In a self-closing window the combina-.

tion with a sash weighted so as to have a tend ency to close; a pulleyresting in loose bearings over whlch the sash-cord of the sash runs; asaddle-block beneath the pulley; means for rais- 1 ing the saddle-blockuntil the pulley rests upon it instead of upon its bearings, said meansincluding a fusible piece by the melting of which the pulley is sufferedto fall to its bearings, substantially as described. Y

5. In an automatically-closing window, the combination of a sashweighted so as to have a tendency to close; a pulleyon either side ofthe window over which runs the sash-cord for that side; a movable saddlebeneath each pulley; connections uniting the saddles, tension upon whichtends to raise them against the pulleys; and means for creating suchtension inclusive of a fusible piece by the melting of which the tensionis released, substantially as described. c

6. In an automaticallyclosing window, the combination of an overweightedupper sash and an underweighted lower sash; pulleys over which the cordsfor .these sashes are carried; a'movable saddle beneath each of thepulleys; flexible connections whereby each saddle is united to itsfellow on the opposite side of the window; one or more connectinglinkscommunicating the tension of one flexible connection to the other; andone or more fusible pieces which form a point of resistance from whichtension is communicated to the flexible connections so as to press thesadblock is raised up under the pulley; and means for putting tensionupon the chain, comprising a fusible piece as a point of resistance forsaid tension, said fusible piece being situated near the top of the headof the window, substantially as described.

8. In a. self-closing window, the combination of a sash weighted so asto have a tendency to close; a pulley in loose bearings over which thecord of this sash runs; a pivoted saddle-block mounted below the pulley;a pivoted rocking arm; a chain affixed to the free end of the pivotedsaddle block, and passing over the rocking arm to a point of IIO .attachment; and a fusible piece affording the signed my name, atPhiladelphia, Pennsylpifintd of resistanee from Which tension is Vania,this 12th day of February, 1904. p ace upon said ciain, sufficient toraise the Yr 7 Y v saddle-block to hold the pulley against rota- JOHN lI ldNb' 5 tion by the Window-sash alone, substantially \Vitnesses:

as described. JAMES H. BELL,

In testimony whereof I have hereunto E. L. FULLERTON.

